Conveyer



D. .1. REED Dec. 1, 1934.

CONVEYER Filed Jan. l2, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1;

INVENTR. I lDaniel J. Reed M MW ATTORNEY.

Dec. 4, 1934. D 1l REED l 1,983,492

` CoNvEYER Filed Jan. i2, 1954 3 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. Daniel J. Reed Byfw am ATTORNEY.V

Dec. 4, 1934. D, 1, REED t 1,983,492

CONVEYER Filed Jan. l2, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 rfi;

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lL Daniel l Reed N ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 4, 19234'.

PATENT OFFICE ooNvEYER Daniel J. Reed, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to A.0.

Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Application January 12, 1934, Serial No. '706,318`

claims.

This invention relates to a conveyer.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient conveyer and unloader therefor.

The invention has been applied in the construction of a conveyer for carrying automobile frames in a factory during fabrication of the frames, and the accompanying drawings illustrate the embodiment which has been made.

Figure 1 is a top plan View ,of the entire system;

Fig. 2 is a section fon line2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the drive and unloader;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 `of Fig. 1 showing the take-up device forthe cable;

Fig. 4 is a partial elevation and partial central longitudinal section of a truck and its support; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on line 205-5 of Fig. 4 showing a truck partiallyin end elevation. l

The conveyer comprises, in general, a track, a plurality of trucks mounted thereon, and. means for driving the trucks along the track.

The track consists of two flat, horizontal metal plates 1 spaced apart and extending side' by side for the full circuit. of the track. The plates 1 are suitably supported on a level with the floor 2 and are provided with a space 3 beneath for receiving the drive for the trucks.

The trucks, as shownY in Figures 4 and 5, cornprise a horizontal frame 4 suitably supported on wheels 5 at its four corners, an upright center post 6, and longitudinally extending work supporting arms 7. The post 6 is suitably adjustable in height, and the arms 7 may be suitably adjusted in length. At each end of the frame 4 is a downwardly extending wheel 8 mounted on a vertical axis and adapted to ride in a slot 9 between the track plates 1. The wheels 8 have anges 10 at the lower end to prevent their raising out of the slot 9 and thus to hold the trucks from tipping. The forward end of the truck frame 4 is pro- "vided with a clamp 11 extending downwardly into the space 3 beneath the oor and adapted to clamp onto a drive cable 12. A wooden block 13, or other suitable bumper means, is provided .j .on the forward end of each truck for scraping 50 "or brushing dirt or obstacles from the top of the track plates 1, so that the Wheels 5 will ride level on the track.

As shown in Fig. 1, two separate track circuits `are provided where the conveyer is to be used 55 lin conveying articles such as automobile frames.

In this case the track circuits are rectangular with the conveying side of each circuit juxtaposed. The trucks are moved in the opposite directions in the two circuits, so as to provide for cooperative movement of the trucks in um'- son in one direction on the conveyer sides of the circuits.

The trucks are driven by means of the cables 12 which are endless and which extend around the respective track circuits beneath the track plates 1. Large diameter Wheels 14 are provided on vertical axes beneath the track plates 1 at the four corners of each circuit. The outer rim of each wheel 14 has a peripheral groove 15 for receiving the cable 12, and the rim is notched as at 16 to receive the clamps 11 of the trucks.` The spacing of the notches 16 is such as to accommodate the distance of spacing of the trucks yor clamps 11, and where desirable, additionalnotches may be provided to accommodate lugs 17 placed on the cable intermediate the trucks.

The wheels 14 at the inner corner at one end of the conveyer are employed for driving the cable l2. A motor 18 is geared to each of the drive wheels to operate the same in synchronisin.

The Wheels 14 at the other end of the conveyer are mounted vin horizontally slidable bearings 19 which may be adjusted in position'longitudinally of the conveyer by means of the threaded rods 20 and nuts 21-for the purpose of tightening or loosening the cables 12. The track plates 1 at the adjusting end of the conveyer are adapted to slide with the bearings 19 a limited distance to accommodate adjustment of the cable 12. The gaps left in the track, after an adjustment has been made, are filled in with track sections 22 of the proper length to provide a uniform continuous track. Floor plates 23 adapted to cover the adjusting pit, also slide with the bearings 19 and overlap the main oor 2.

As shown in Fig. 2, an unloading device is provided at the end of the conveyer where the motor 18 is located. The unloader consists of inclined rails 24, and a pair of endless chains 25 having spaced upright lugs 26 thereon. The chains 25 are driven by the motor 18 in synchronism with the conveyer and the lugs 26 are spaced to provide for the removal of each frame 27 as the trucks approach the unloading end of the conveyer circuit. In operation, as a pair of trucks, carrying a frame 27, approach the unloader the forward side of the frame engages the inclined rails 24 and is raised clear of the trucks.

Then lugs 26 on the chain 25 adjacent each rail 24 engage the forward side rail of the frame 27 and quickly ydraw the frame upward along the inclined rails 24 leaving the trucks empty to con- 5 tinue their movement along the return paths of the circuits. The frame 27 is then manually or otherwise moved along the rails 24.

The conveyer provided by the invention requires only a very shallow space beneath or above the floor of the building, and has practically no working parts extending above the floor except the trucks. It is therefore possible for workmen to pass in and out through the conveyei` lines and between the moving trucks without danger of stumbling or injury. In Loperation, in the manufacture vor automobile frames, workmen are employed to perform riveting operations on the frames 27 as the same are continuously moved along the central path of the conveyer circuit, one end of the frame being Vsupported by a truck on one track circuit, and the other end of the frame being supported on a. truck of the other track circuit.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope of the claims.

:'55 The invention is claimed as follows:-

- 1. In combination with a'conveyer for automobile frames and the like comprising a pair of trucks moving along spaced parallel lines with 3-0 y an article supported thereon, an inclined track disposed between said trucks and inclined up- ,n as the trucks move adjacent thereto.

A3. In combination, a conveyer for automobile frames and the like comprising two closed truck circuits having their conveying paths parallel and a plurality of trucks propelled in synchronism along each path with the trucks moving along the conveying portion of one path cooperating with the respective trucks moving along the conveyingportion of the other path to provide pairs of trucks moving in unison for sup- `frames and the like comprising two closed truck circuits having their conveying paths parallel 4and a plurality of Vtrucks propelled in synchronism along each path with the trucks moving along the conveying portion of one path cooperating with the respective trucks moving along the conveying portion of the other path to provide pairs of trucks moving in unison for supporting separate frames, and van unloader for removing frames from the respective pairs of trucks as they move toward the end of the conveyer path comprising an inclined track disposed adjacent the end lof the conveyer path and inclined upwardly in the direction of movement of said trucks for lifting and removing framestherefrom, and means on said trucks 'for initially propelling the frames upwardly onto said track.

5. In combination, a conveyer for automobile frames andthe like comprising two closed truck circuits having their conveying paths parallel and a plurality of trucks propelled in synchronism along each path with the trucks moving along the conveying portion of one path cooperating with the respective trucks moving along the conveying portion of the other path to provide pairs of trucks moving in unison for supporting separate frames, and an unloader for' removing frames from the respective pairs of trucks as they move toward the end of the conveyer path comprising an inclined track disposed adjacent the end of the conveyer pathand inclined upwardly in the direction of movement of said trucks for lifting and removing frames therefrom, and means on said trucks for initially propelling the frames upwardly onto said track, and a single means for propelling said trucks .in their respective circuits and for driving said means for propelling the frames on the unloader tracks in synchronism.

DANIEL J. REED.

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